In the June 2nd Carefree Town Council meeting, the council voted unanimously to approve Resolution 2026-12, a development agreement for Orchard Street Market, which will occupy the space currently known as Los Portales Mall.
One of the developers, Ken Martindale of the Martindale Group, made a presentation of the concept to Council and residents that included their plans to invest more than $5,000,000 to redevelop the property, which in their plan will consist of two levels in an open concept designed to be an experiential draw for the community.
Mr. Martindale cited three factors that led the group to commit to Carefree:
1. The Los Portales building, which has history, character and location
2. Carefree’s culture, community and geography
3. The Town Center redevelopment plan
It was the Town Center Redevelopment plan that sold them originally on Carefree. He congratulated Steve Prokopek on the phenomenal job done by Town officials and staff on the plan, which forms the basis for their conviction that there is a vision in Carefree and a commitment to redevelop and “bring the entire Town Center up.” He believes they can contribute to that redevelopment and are excited to be part of it.
Their concept for the market:
Mr. Martindale described the main level (market level) as a collection of independent purveyors who will deliver local, high quality, high touch service in fresh foods.
A wine bar, tap room, and potential restaurants were described as appropriate elements for the lower level (the cellar), which the Group describes as their experiential anchor and which they will position to be an environment that people will come to often and spend time in, on weekday evenings as well as Saturday mornings.
A critical part of this concept will be parking accessibility for customers, especially of fresh food customers, which was partially addressed by Resolution 2026-11 (Town Center Parking Policy), which had been approved earlier in the meeting. Mr. Prokopek and the Council also discussed additional parking measures the Town expects to take during the time Orchard Street Market is under development and construction.
The approved agreement requires the property to include primarily retail uses which will generate a minimum of $2,600,000 in taxable revenue, and requires construction completion by July 1, 2028, though the developer’s target completion dates are actually months earlier. Because the Town views this as a vitality project that will bring people to Carefree to experience and enjoy it on a regular basis, the agreement also includes a use agreement for the Market to host up to six events per year at the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion.
The entire agreement is posted on the Town’s website as an attachment to the June 2nd meeting.
Carefree Unity 6/10/2026
Carefree Unity 
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